The 2026 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represents Louisiana Tech University (LT) during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season as a first-year member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Bulldogs are led by fifth-year head coach Sonny Cumbie and play home games at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana.
Move to the Sun Belt Prior to the 2025 season, the Sun Belt Conference extended an invitation to Louisiana Tech to join the conference as early as the 2026 season, pending exit negotiations between the university and Conference USA (CUSA). Louisiana Tech accepted the invitation to join the conference no later than 2027, later agreeing to join beginning with the 2026–27 academic year. After months of negotiations between the university and CUSA, no financial settlement had been reached between the two parties; this resulted in the Bulldogs initially being on both the CUSA and Sun Belt football schedules for the 2026 season.
In March 2026, the University of Louisiana System, which includes Louisiana Tech, filed a lawsuit against Conference USA, saying "CUSA has declined to engage in meaningful resolution and has instead placed Louisiana Tech on its 2026–27 athletic schedule in disregard of Tech’s explicit and repeated written notice that it would not participate in Conference USA competition beginning July 1, 2026." A month later, the two parties reached an agreement and the lawsuit was dropped, letting Louisiana Tech join the Sun Belt on July 1, 2026 while Conference USA received an unknown amount in exit fees.
Preseason Media poll In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth place in the West division.
Linebacker Kolbe Fields was awarded to be in the preseason All-Sun Belt first team defense. Tight end Eli Finley was awarded to be in the preseason All-Sun Belt second team offense.
Schedule
Game summaries Northwestern State (FCS, rivalry)
Statistics NWSTLT First downs 7 23 Plays–yards 61–129 59–528 Rushes–yards 45–86 37–232 Passing yards 43 296 Passing: comp–att–int 5–16–1 17–22–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 35:08 24:52 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthwestern State Passing Abram Johnston 5/13, 43 yards, INT Rushing Sage Ingram 13 carries, 48 yards Receiving Dylan Rhodes 2 receptions, 25 yards Louisiana Tech Passing Blake Baker 10/14, 232 yards, 3 TD Rushing Trey Kukuk 5 carries, 50 yards Receiving Jalen Mickens 3 receptions, 133 yards, TD
at No. 8 LSU
Statistics LTLSU First downs 8 26 Plays–yards 55–140 85–528 Rushes–yards 31–(-3) 44–147 Passing yards 143 381 Passing: comp–att–int 14–24–1 27–41–3 Turnovers 3 4 Time of possession 25:51 34:09 Team Category Player Statistics Louisiana Tech Passing Blake Baker 11/21, 128 yards, TD, INT Rushing Andrew Burnette 6 carries, 16 yards Receiving Jalen Mickens 6 receptions, 101 yards, TD LSU Passing Sam Leavitt 25/38, 344 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Dilin Jones 18 carries, 66 yards Receiving Trey'Dez Green 6 receptions, 104 yards, TD
At Baylor
Statistics LT BAY First downs 25 22 Total yards 362 418 Rushing yards 139 165 Passing yards 223 253 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 32:18 27:42 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Trey Kukuk 25/44, 223 yards, TD, INT Rushing Trey Kukuk 11 carries, 75 yards Receiving Eli Finley 8 receptions, 65 yards, TD Baylor Passing Nate Bennett 21/24, 253 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Ryelan Morris 4 carries, 55 yards Receiving Jayden McGowan 2 receptions, 79 yards, 2 TDs
Army
Statistics ARMYLT First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsArmy Passing Rushing Receiving Louisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
Louisiana (rivalry)
Statistics LALT First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Rushing Receiving Louisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
At Louisiana–Monroe (rivalry)
Statistics LT ULM First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving Louisiana–Monroe Passing Rushing Receiving
Old Dominion
Statistics ODULT First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsOld Dominion Passing Rushing Receiving Louisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
At South Alabama
Statistics LT USA First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving South Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving
At Troy
Statistics LT TROY First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving Troy Passing Rushing Receiving
Southern Miss (Rivalry in Dixie)
Statistics USMLT First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Miss Passing Rushing Receiving Louisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
Arkansas State
Statistics ARSTLT First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Rushing Receiving Louisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
At Georgia Southern
Statistics LT GASO First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Rushing Receiving Georgia Southern Passing Rushing Receiving
References